Manual operating device for electric circuit breakers



J. D. GAYER April 8, 1947.

MANUAL OPERATING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKERS Filed NOV. 30, 1944 I nventc'm John D. Sayer,

y H s Attorney.

Patented Apr. 8, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUAL OPERATING DEVICE FOR ELEC- TRIC CIRCUIT BREAKERS John D. Gayer, Springfield, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York 6 Claims.

My invention relates to manual operating means for electric switches and circuit breakers, and particularly to a manual operating means which, upon initial operation thereof, releases an latching means which may be provided for holding the circuit breaker or switch in a predetermined position followed by relative movement of the contacts of the switch or circuit breaker with continued operation of said manual means.

Electric circuit breakers or switches are usuall provided with automatic means such as a fluid motor, an electric motor or solenoid for causing operation thereof. Quite often such circuit breakers or switches are provided with means for latching the contacts in a predetermined position such as the open position or the closed position, or both. The means for operating the circuit breaker or switch must therefore cause release of the latching means prior to the operation of force to the contacts. Often for purposes of inspection or repair, it is desirable to produce relative movement of the contacts of the circuit breaker or switch when the automatic means for operating the same is incapacitated for some reason or another. In such a situation it would be desirable to provide manual means which may be applied to the circuit breaker or operating mechanism therefor, and which will cause relative movement and at the same time release any latching means which may be associated with the circuit breaker or switch. My invention is particularly concerned with such a manual operating means for switches or circuit breakers.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved manual operating device for electric switches or circuit breakers.

It is another object of my invention to provide a manual operating means for an electric switch or circuit breaker, initial operation of which automatically releases any latching means associated with the switch after which continued operation of the manual means causes relative movement of the contacts to occur.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram, partly in section, of an electric circuit breaker with a portion of the manual means of my invention shown in phantom and with the operating means to which the manual device is applied viewed from below; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of Fig. 1, except that the manual operating device is shown substantially in full with a small portion broken away; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3 with the manual operating device shown in phantom to indicate its position for one extreme operating position thereof and with parts broken away so the interrelationship between the operating device and circuit breaker is clearly shown; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the manual operating device shown in phantom in the other extreme operating position thereof, and Fig. 6 is a view of the manual operating device, per se.

Although the manual operating device of my invention is applicable to any circuit breaker, I have chosen to specifically illustrate my invention in Fig. 1 as applied to an electric circuit breaker of the fluid operated, fluid blast type, such as is disclosed in the copending application, Serial No. 565,834, Boisseau, Beall, Frank and Lowery, filed concurrently with the present application and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Although a polyphase circuit breaker has been shown in the copending Boisseau, Beall, Frank and Lower application referred to above I have chosen, for the purpose of simplifying the disclosure, to illustrate my invention in connection with a single phase circuit breaker or one pole of a polyphase circuit breaker.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawing, there is illustrated an electric circuit breaker generally indicated at I, comprising a pair of relatively movable arcing contacts, 2 and 3, and a pair of relatively movable isolating or disconnecting contacts 4 and 5, serially arranged with respect to each other. The arcing contacts 2 and 3 have been illustrated as a part of a fluid blast interrupting unit 6, which may be constructed in the manner disclosed and claimed in copending application, Serial No. 570,006 Boisseau and Beall, filed December 27, 1944, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Interrupting head or unit 6 comprises an insulating chamber 1 within which relatively movable arcing or interrupting contacts 2 and 3 are mounted. Both contacts 2 and 3 have been illustrated as movable contacts biased to the closed position by means of springs 8 and 9, respectively. In the closed position of the circuit breaker I, shown in Fig. 1, contacts 2 and 3 are in electrical engagement and the contact 2 extends through a nozzle 10, while the contact 3 extends through a nozzle ll. Associated with contact 2 is a fluid motor comprising the piston l2. Similarly, associated with contact 3 is a fluid motor comprising the piston l3. Pistons I2 and I3 are reciprocal within cylinders suitably mounted in arc extinguishing chamber 1.

In order to interrupt the current flowing through arcing contacts 2 and 3 fluid under pressure is supplied from a suitable source (not shown) through blast conduit M to arcing chamber "I, conduit 14 being branched as indicated at is and I6 so as to supply fluid under pressure ahead of each nozzle H3 and H, respectively. When fluid under pressure is supplied through conduit !4, contacts 2 and 3 are separated and a blast of fluid through each nozzle l and I! quickly extinguishes the arc drawn. The fluid blast exhausts to atmosphere through conduit ll.

Since arcing, or interrupting contacts, 2 and 3 are of the so-called retractable pin type contacts which reclose as soon as fluid under pressure is shut off relative to arcing chamber 1 it is necessary to provide isolating or disconnecting contacts 4 and 5. Isolating contact 4 is indicated as a stationary contact suitably supported on an insulating support l3 and preferably electrically connected to a suitable circuit to be controlled as indicated at I 9. Disconnecting or isolating contact 5, on the other hand, really comprises a contact arm pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis 23. Contact arm 5 is the movable contact and the pivoted end thereof is provided with a bevel gear 2! which meshes with a bevel gear 22 mounted on a rotatable shaft 23. Shaft 23' is rotated from the grounded supporting structure below through insulating column 24 rotatable therewith. The other end of insulating column 24 is connected with another shaft 23 substantially like shaft 23'.

Isolating contact arm 5 is electrically connected to movable arcing contact 3 by means of a conductor Movable arcing contact 2, on the other hand, is connected with a power line or circuit 26 in order to control the power flowing therein.

It is obvious that after arcing contacts 2 and 3 have operated to interrupt the circuit, isolating contacts 1 and 5 must be separated if the circuit is to remain open and this operation of isolating contacts 4 and 5 must occur before'arcing contacts 2 and 3 have reclosed. Any suitable means for causing relative movement of the electric switch comprising disconnecting contacts 4 and 5 may be provided. I have chosen to illustrate this operating means as constructed in accordance with the arrangement disclosed and claimed in copending application Serial No. 529,670, Boisseau, filed April 5, 1944, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. As illustrated in Fi 1, this operating mechanism is viewed from underneath relative to the portion of circuit breaker I described heretofore.

This operating mechanism comprises a circuit breaker opening fluid motor 2'! and a circuit breaking closing fluid motor 23. The circuit breaker opening fluid motor 2i comprises a cylinder 29 and a piston 35. Similarly, the fluid motor 28 comprises a cylinder SI and a piston 32. Cylinder 29 is adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure (not shown) through conduit 33 and a suitable circuit breaker openingcontrol valve (not shown). Cylinder 3| is also adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under -r ssure (not shown) through conduit 34 and a suitab e circuit breaker closing control valve .150 not shown. Piston 30 of fluid motor 21 is connected by means of a rod 35 with a rack 36. piston oi the fluid. motor 28 is also connected ty a re- 3? with rack 38. Rack 36 is adapted to rotatably engage a spur gear 38 which is fixedly mountec to shaft 23 which in turn is fastened to rotatable insulator 24. Spur gear 38 is viewed from the bottom in Fig. 1 and is shown in greater detail in 2 and 3. It is obvious from Fig. 1 that when piston 30 is moved to the left, shaft 23 and bevel gear 22 are moved so as to rotate disconnecting 5 to its open position. Similarly, when the circuit breaker l is in the open position movement of piston 32 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, will cause disconnecting arm 5 to move to its closed position.

In order that shock or vibration will not cause inadvertent relative movement of the isolating contacts 4 and 5 it is usually desirable to lock the contacts in either their open or their closed position. To this end, I have illustrated a lockopen means 39 and a lock-closed means 40 arranged in close proximity to rack 36. The lockopen and lock-closed means 39 and 4B, are substantially identical, the lock-open means comprising a locking member or prop 4| pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot 42 and rotatable with a crank or lever 43 about pivot 42. When the circuit breaker l is in the fully open position locking member or prop 4! is adapted to engage with a roller 44 pivotally mounted on the righthand end of rack 36. A spring 45 biases locking member or prop 41 into such locking engagement with roller M. In Fig. 4 locking arm or prop 4| is illustrated as in its locking position. The lockclosed means 40 comprises a locking member or prep 4% pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot 41 and rotatable with a crank or lever 48 about pivot 4i. When the circuit breaker is in the fully closed position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, locking member or prop 46 is adapted to engage with a roller is pivotally mounted on the left-hand end of rack 35. A. spring 58 biases locking member or arm 46 into such locking engagement with roller 49. When props or looking members 4| or 45 are not in their locking positions they ride along the edge of rack 35 as is clearly obvious from the drawings. It will be understood that automatic means for releasing locking means 39 and 49 prior to operation of-fluid motors 28 and 2? would be required. Such an arrangement is disclosed in the above-mentioned copending Boisseau application, Serial No. 529,670.

The manual operating device of my invention is a small, portable, re .iovable device shown in 6 and generally indicated by the numeral 5!. Essentially this de ice, best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, consists of a gear case 52 having associated therewith a pinion 53 adapted to be engaged with spur gear 38 as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Pinion 53 is mounted on a rotatable shaft 54 which extends from gear case 52. Extended shaft 54 is rctatablyjournaled in gear case E32 and the portion thereof extending into gear case C2 has fixedly mounted thereon a gear 55 engageable with a worm gear 55 fastened on a suitable worm shaft filrotatably mounted within gear case 52 One end of worm shaft 5'! extends outside of case '2 as is indicated at 58 and is provided with a rectangular or hexagonal end so that a hand brace or crank 53 may be applied thereto. Welded to' gear case or housing 52 is a pin 60 which projects from gear case 52 in the same direction as shaft 54.

and is best shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The purpose of pin 60 will be brought out in the ensuing description.

Manual operating device 5| is adapted tobe applied to the operating mechanism of the circuit breaker so that pinion 53 meshes with spur gear 38 fixedly mounted on shaft 23. The lower end of shaft 23 is rotatably journaled in a stationary plate 6| which is provided with an elongated opening 62 in the form of a slot best shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, for accommodating pin 66, and a second opening 63 into which the journal for shaft 54 and pinion 53 may be inserted. Manual device 5|, when relative movement of contacts 4 and 5 is desired, is applied to the circuit breaker operating mechanism by inserting shaft 54 and pinion 53 into opening 63 with the pin 66 extending into the elongated opening, or slot, 62. Since manual device 5| is inserted into openings 62 and 63 from the bottom, means must be provided to hold it in position and to this end I have provided a pin 64 which may be inserted in an opening defined in part by groove 65 in the journal of shaft 54 and a groove 66 in a member 6'! adjacent thereto and supported from plate 6|, as is .clearly indicated in Fig. 3. It will be obvious that rotation of brace or crank 59 applied to worm shaft 51 will cause rotation of pinion 53 and corn sequent rotation of spur gear 38.

From the above description it will be obvious that the manual operating device 5| can pro duce relative movement of contacts 4 and 5 if latching or locking means 39 and 46 are not in looking engagement. In accordance with my invention it is desirable that operation of manual device 5| will automatically cause release of the locking means 39 or 43, depending upon whether the circuit breaker is being closed or opened, prior to any relative movement of contacts 4 and 5. To this end I have provided a pair of prop release levers in the form of bell cranks 68 and 69, respectively. Bell crank 68 is pivotally mounted to plate 6| at 10, while bell crank 69 is pivotally mounted to plate 6| at 1|. One end I2 of bell crank 68 and one end 13 of bell crank 69 are adapted to engage a stop 14 welded to plate 6|. A suitable spring means 15 interconnecting bell cranks 68 and 69 causes them normally to engage stop 14.

bell cranks 68 and 69 which overlie elongated slot or opening 62 are separated sufiiciently to permit the insertion of pin 66 therebetween. The other end 16 of bell crank 68 is adapted to engage crank or lever 43 upon clockwise rotation of bell crank 68. Similarly, the other end 11 of bell crank 69 is adapted to engage crank or lever 48 upon counterclockwise rotation of bell crank 69, as viewed in Fig. 2.

The prop releasing members comprising bell cranks 68 and 69 are adapted to be actuated by pin 60 of manual operating device 5|. Pin 69 actually serves a dual function in that depending upon the rotation of brace or crank 59, pin 60 moves in slot or elongated opening 62 to rotate one or the other of the bell cranks 68 or 69 with the release of the associated locking means 39 or 40. Because pin 6|! is welded integrally into gear case 52, the whole operating device 5| rotates during this initial unlocking movement of pin 6|]. When pin 66 reaches the end of elongated opening or slot 62 further movement thereof is restrained and subsequent rotation of brace or crank 59 causes rotation of spur gear Stop 14 has 'sufiicient width so that the ends 12 and 13 of 38 and consequent relative movement of disconnecting or isolating contacts 4 and 5.

In view of the detailed description included above the operating cycle of the manual operating device 5| will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The portable operating device 5| is first applied by inserting the extended bearing or journal of shaft 54 including the pinion 53 into the bore or opening 63 in plate 6| so that the pinion 53 meshes with gear 38. During this operation pin 60 is inserted in the elongated opening or slot 62 so that pin 60 lies intermediate the ends 12 and 13 of prop release levers comprising bell cranks 68 and 69. The retaining pin 64 is inserted to prevent withdrawal of the manual device 5| during operation. Hand brace or crank 59 i then applied to rotate worm gear 56 which in turn rotates pinion 53 in the desired direction. The initial rotation of worm gear 56, because of the relatively heavier AUad imposed by the isolating switch mechanism first will be effective to rotate the gear box 52 and its integral unlocking pin 60. Assuming that the isolating switch is in closed position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, initial rotation of worm gear 56 in the required direction to cause opening of isolating switch will cause gear box 52 to rotate to the position shown in phantom in Fig. 4, in which case the pin 60 will have moved to its extreme left-hand position in the end of lost motion slot 62, while the lefthand bell crank 69 will have rotated counterclockwise to unlatch the lock-closed member 46. Unlatching of lock-closed member 46 from its restraining position permits further rotation of the worm gear 56 and since pin 60 can move no further by virtue of slot 62 gear 38 is rotated and rack 36 is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4 with the consequent opening of isolating switch. The lock-closed arm 46 rides along the bottom of rack 36. When the circuit breaker and consequently the disconnecting contacts 4 and 5 assume their fully open position lock-open arm 4| snaps into place behind right-hand roller 44.

Assuming now that it is desired to close the isolating contacts, the hand brace or crank 59 is.

merely wound or rotated in the opposite direction from that described above. Before picking up the isolating switch closing load the gear box 52 will first r0 :k over until the pin 66 moves from the left-hand end of slot 62 as indicated in Fig.

lease lever or hell crank 69 will have rotated in.

a clock-wise direction by virtue of spring 15 until it engages the stop '14.

After completing the manual operation desired and before removing the manual device 5| the worm should be rotated back somewhat so the gear box 52 assumes the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 in readiness for the next time it may be required. Removal of pin 64 will permit the ready removal of manual operating device 5| which may then be set aside in readiness for the next time it is required.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from my invention in its broader aspects and I therefore aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: p v

1, In combination with an electric'switch comprising relatively movable contacts, motive means for causing relative movement of said contacts, a latch for holding said contacts in a predetermined position and releasable prior to op eration of said motive means, manual means for causing relative movement of said contacts adapted to be removably associated with said switch, and means associated with said manual means for first releasing said latch upon initial operation of said manual means followed by movement of said contacts with continued operation of said manual means.

2. In combination with a'n'electric'switch'comprising relatively movable contacts, motive means for causing relative movement of said contacts, a latch for holding said contacts in a predetermined position and releasable prior to operation of said motive means, a portable manual means for causing relative movement of said contacts adapted to be removably associated with said switch, and'means including an unlatching member actuated by said manual means for first releasing said latch upon initial operation of said manual means followed by movement of said contacts with continued operation ofsaid manual means.

3. In combination-with an electric switch comprising relatively movable contacts, fluid operated means for causing relative movement of said contacts, a prop type latch for holding said contacts in a predetermined position and releasable prior to operation of said motive means, a pivotally mounted latch releasing member, manual means for causing relative movement of said contacts adapted to be removably associated with said switch, and means associated with said manual means for first operating said latch releasing member to release said latch upon'initial op-- eration of said manual means followed by move ment of said contacts with continued operation of said manual means.

4. In combination with an electric switch comprising relatively movable contacts, fiuid operated means for causing relative movement of said contacts, a prop type latch for holding said contacts in a predetermined position and releasable prior to operation of said motive means, a pivotally mounted latch releasing member, means for biasing'said latch releasing member in a predetermined direction, manual means for causing relative movement of said contacts adapted to be removably-associated with said switch, and means including a pin associated with said manual means for first moving said latch releasing member to release said'latch upon initial operation of said manual means, means for rendering the operation of said pin inelfective after a predetermined operation of said manual means, whereby relative movement of said contacts results with continued operation of said manual means.

5. In combination with an electric switch comprising relatively movable contacts, motive means for causing relative movement of said contacts, a first latch for holding said contacts in the closed circuit position, a second latch for holding said contacts in the open circuit position, means for releasing said latches including a first pivotally mounted latch releasing member and a second pivotally mounted latch releasing member respectively, means for biasing both of said latch releasing members to a predetermined position, a portable manual means including a rotatable member for causing relative movement of said contacts adapted to be removably associated with said switch, means for rotating said rotatable member, a pin associated with said manual means for moving said first latch releasing member upon rotation of said rotatable member in one predetermined direction and for causing relative separation of said contacts upon continued rotation in said one predetermined direction of said rotatable member, said pin when said rotatable member is rotated in the opposite direction with said switch in the open position causing said second latch releasing member to release said second latch upon initial operation of said manual means followed by relative movement toward each other of the contacts of said switch with continued operation of said manual means.

6. In combination with an electric switch comprising relatively movable contacts, fluid operated means for causing relative movement of said contacts, a prop type latch for holding said contacts in a predetermined position and releasable prior to operation of said motive means, a pivotally mounted latch releasingmembe'r, means for biasing said latch releasing member in a predetermined direction, manual means for causing relative movement of said'contac'ts adapted to be removably associated with said switch, and means including a pin associated with said manual means for first moving said latch releasing member to release saidllatch upon initial operation of said manual means, means including an elongated slot in which said pinis adapted to move for stopping the movement of said 'pi'n after a predetermined operation of said manual means, whereby relative movement of said contacts results with continued operation of said manual means.

JOHN D. GAYER.

REFERENCES CITED followingreferences are of record in the Name] Date Cumming et a1. May 23, 1944 Number 

